Rants and Raves on Espresso

Yes, this is the San Francisco legend — a meeting place for writers of the 1950s Beat movement; where Francis Ford Coppola wrote the script for The Godfather; where espresso was first introduced to the West Coast in 1956.

This café is rather old-school Italian to the core — one of the fewer and fewer remaining places in North Beach that still operates like the Italian immigrant community of its original era. Today a generally older café crowd soaks in the opera and Italian music classics on the jukebox among several large, indoor tables (there’s never enough, so expect to share). There’s even a holdover phone booth in the middle of it all. In good weather, and often in bad, their outdoor sidewalk seating is used like a casual Italian living room. It may be a little rough on the edges, but it has a definite neighborhood feel. Even without the weekend accordion sing-alongs.

Caffé Trieste has been serving espresso from this location for over 50 years, and it generally has not changed much since then — for better or worse. Using a two-group La San Marco, they produce a shot with a rather thin but rich, dark brown crema. It has a pungent-to-smoky flavor from an often thick-bodied, almost syrup-like pour. (Occasionally the body can run thinner.) As if there was any other way, they classically serve espresso in wide-mouthed, brown ACF ceramic cups.

As Caffé Trieste continues to expand as a chain — due to modern business expectations for a decent retail coffee outfit — check out the original while you still can. Although the original Caffé Trieste has maintained much of its character despite the changing demographics of the neighborhood, it’s still part of a dying breed to enjoy while it lasts. Next door you’ll also find their shop — which sells coffee, espresso machines, and various coffee accessories.

2 Responses to “Trip Report: Caffé Trieste, North Beach”

[…] Such changes are arguably inevitable. For example, the Castro, née Eureka Valley, District is long past its Irish, German, and Scandinavian immigrant roots. So as successive generations of Italian immigrants to North Beach move away, close up shop, and meld into the big American melting pot, the Italian flavor of North Beach gives way to new waves of immigration and social influences. All the more reason to enjoy what’s still there before it disappears. Today Mara’s is merely an imitation of its former self, run by well-meaning-but-disconnected owners trying to eek out a tourist profit from its past glories. […]